Dundas Semi Driver Survives Train Crash in Rice County

The Rice County Sheriff's Office, Faribault Fire and North Ambulance personnel were dispatched to a semi versus train collision in Walcott Township, Rice County at 1:31 p.m. today. Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn says the accident occurred at 25475 Cabot Avenue. When officers arrived south of Faribault they located the truck driver seated on the overturned semi-tractor.

He was identified as 77 year old Donald Weed of Dundas, was assisted from the truck, loaded into North Ambulance and transported to Allina District One Hospital in Faribault with non-life threatening injuries. Sheriff Dunn says Weed was wearing his seat belt prior to the crash.

The semi-tractor trailer combination was leaving the Jennie O' Turkey Store Feed Mill and was going west across the railroad tracks. A southbound Union Pacific train hit the tractor and trailer combination. The semi-trailer came to rest on the east side of the tracks and the semi-tractor rolled over onto the driver's side on the west side of the tracks.

Sheriff Dunn said his office was assisted by the Minnesota State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Inspection unit.

One of the many locomotives you can see at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum.